Break up with your girl, it ended in tearsVincent van Gogh, go and mail that ear

Vincent van Gogh (3.30.1853 — 7.29.1890) was a Dutch post-Impressionist painter who famously cut off one of his ears… and (purportedly) mailed it to a woman with whom he was infatuated.

Above, Self-portrait.

However… Since rg is all about making you smart, here’s the realstory on van Gogh’s severed ear…

“On the evening of December 23, 1888 van Gogh, seized by an attack of a metabolic disease, became very aggressive when Gauguin said he was leaving him for good. The men had a heated argument near the brothel and Vincent might have attacked his friend. Gauguin, wanting to defend himself and wanting to get rid of ‘the madman’ drew his weapon and made a move towards van Gogh and by that he cut off his left ear.”